Avnas Ambe Sasam

During our recent visit to India, we attended an engagement function of my close relative. After wishing the couple, few clicks and meeting other relatives, it was time to head towards dinner hall. As we sat down on the guest table, came across a cute small card which listed the dinner menu for that evening. I was impressed with the idea and saw the card placed besides each plate. Surely helped me pick my preferences from authentic GSB dishes to North Indian specialities for the evening. No prizes for guessing,,, I preferred authentic GSB dishes and amongst them avnas ambe sasam  [pineapple mango curry] was the one I reached for second helping too ... yum yum yum!

Avnas ambe sasam is sweet sour side dish popular among konkani household. This dish is prepared when mangoes are in season. Being a no onion garlic recipe, its likely to get included in the menu for festivals and functions during summer season. This gravy/paste in this recipe is not cooked , so take care to finish it the same day or refrigerate the left overs. The use of raw mustards while grinding the paste gives unique taste to this dish. Lets check the recipe now.

Ingredients

1 cup cubed mangoes [ called as ambo in konkani]
1 cup pineapple chunks [called as avnas in konkani]
1 cup coconut
3-4 red chilies, roasted [ I used byadgi variety]
1/2 tsp mustard seeds [called as sasam in konkani]
Grated jaggery as per the taste
Salt as per taste

For seasoning [ Optional step]
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard
Few curry leaves

Method:

Sprinkle some salt on cut fruit pieces. Mix them well and keep aside. Grind coconut with roasted red chilies to a coarse paste. Before transferring it from the mixer vessel add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds and grated jaggery and grind it again. Now add the medium coarse paste to the fruit pieces and adjust salt as per your requirement. You can season this side dish [optional step] with mustard and curry leaves before serving.

When mangoes are not in season you can add seedless green or red or black grapes. The preparation that you see in the below pic is when I could not find mangoes at my place [few months back]. As a variation, I added grapes and peach fruit pieces in absence of cubed mangoes with no seasoning and chilled till the time of serving.



Wishing all my friends and readers, A happy and blessed Janmashtami !
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Chane Kadgi Ghashi

Konkani cuisine is known for its liberal use of coconut [various forms] in different preparations. Most of the curries make use of ground coconut paste called massollu. The basic massollu consists of grated coconut ground with red chilies and tamarind. The difference in taste is based on use of variety vegetables in combination with beans and pulses. The flavor of the curry gets enhanced by different type of seasonings. We call the curry with mustard seasoning as ghashi, with garlic as koddel or bendi and with onions as ambat. [Didn't know this classification till I began cooking by myself].

Ghashi is a preferred curry for the festive occasions or religious functions, because it is made without onions and garlic and is served with rice for main meals. Chane kadgi ghashi is prepared from brown chana and kadgi [raw jackfruit]. Since kadgi [raw jackfruit] is seasonal you can substitute it with yam, potatoes or raw bananas.

Ingredients

3/4 cup chana [Brown chickpeas]
1 cup kadgi [I used canned ones]
1 cup frozen coconut, thawed
6-8 red chillies [I used byadgi variety]
A small ball of tamarind
Salt to taste
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
Coconut oil for seasoning

Method:

Clean, wash and soak chana for overnight in enough water. Next day, wash and pressure cook till soft. [Take care not to cook them mushy]. Rinse the canned jackfruit chunks and cook them in enough water for 2-3 minutes. Mix boiled chana to this vessel, add salt and keep it on sim flame.

Meanwhile, roast red chilies in a drop of oil. Once cooled grind it with thawed coconut/fresh grated coconut and tamarind to a smooth paste. Add the ground paste [massollu] to the cooked chana kadgi mix. Adjust the water [Preferred consistency for this curry is thick, so take care not to make it watery]. Bring it to a boil. Switch off the flame.

Prepare the seasoning with mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil. Pour it on the curry and keep the vessel closed with lid. [This allows to retain the flavors of seasoning ingredients and curry/gravy gets infused with those flavors]. Serve the ghashi hot with rice.

Happy cooking !

Sending this recipe to Gayathri's WTML hosted by Avika  and Side dish mela

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Narali Bhaat

Hello friends ! I am back from vacation. With the post-vacation blues that we suffer every time after our return, this year we planned to come back at the time when weekend was around the corner. It was helpful as we managed to catch up on lost sleep, finish unpacking and cleaning. Now all rejuvenated to settle back into our daily routines as well celebrate the festive occasions that is spread over the whole month of Shravan.

Today is Narali Purnima known as Coconut day festival celebrated mostly by fisherman from Maharashtra, marking the end of monsoon season and beginning of new fishing season. They worship the samudra dev [Lord Varun] and coconuts are offered to sea God while worshipping for their safety and good fishing business. Narali bhaath aka sweet coconut rice is a sweet dish that is prepared mainly on this day. I prepared it making few variations to Mangala Barve's recipe from her book "Annapurna".

Ingredients

1 cup rice [I used sona masoori variety]
1/2 cup coconut. [I used dessicated coconut, fresh coconut is preferably used]
3/4 cup jaggery, grated [ If you prefer more sweet you can increase the quantity]
4-5 cloves
15-20 cashews
15-20 raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2-3 tbsp ghee



Method:

Clean and wash the rice well 2-3 times. Drain the water and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a deep pan. Add cloves and saute it for a minute. After this I transfer it to pressure cooker vessel, add 2 and 1/4 cups of hot water and allow the rice to cook till the grains are separate but not soft. Once cooked spread the rice on a plate and allow it to cool. Add grated coconut, grated jaggery to the rice, toss it gently with help of fork and keep it aside.

Now heat the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee in the same deep pan, fry cashews and raisins. Place them aside. Add rice, grated coconut and grated jaggery mixture in the pan. Add cardamom powder and mix gently. Cook it covered with a lid for 5 -10 minutes on sim flame [the jaggery should melt completely]. Garnish with fried cashews and raisins. Narali bhaat is ready to serve.

Narali Purnima coincides with rakshabandhan/rakhi purnima throughout India, to celebrate the bonding between sisters, brothers and cousins. Wishing all of you a Happy Rakhi purnima too !

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